Life-boat



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTIMER M. CAMP, OF NEIV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

LIFE-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,283, dated September 22, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER M. CAMP, of the city and county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which Figure l is a vertical and longitudinal section, taken through the center of the width of the boat, of my improvements as applied in place on an inclosed life-boat. Fig. 2 is a similar View, showing the after portion of the hatch dropped to form a cover to close the aperture or entrance to the main hold, and Fig. 3 is a vertical trans verse section taken through the line mw, Fi 1.

Fly invention is intended to be applied to a life boat having an inclosed deck, to form a water-tight hold, or nearly so, in which persons can be placed for preservation in case of ship wreck or other disaster to a vessel at sea, or in which the crew of a shore life boat-to be used for the preservation of persons from wrecked vesselsmay be placed to work and direct the boat, and it is used to prevent the water entering the hold, and the boat being swamped, either at the time of the persons entering the hold or after they have entered it.

A is the hull of a life boat, having an inclosed deck B, and having the hold divided by the bulkhead C into two distinct and separate compartments D and E.

F is a hatchway forming an entrance or opening to the hold E. The ends, and a portionabout one half-of the sides of the combings of the hatchway are secured firmly to the deck, the remaining portion of the sides being hinged to the deck so that their upper edges may be moved outwardly for purposes hereinafter mentioned. The hatch is made in two lengths or divisions G and H, the first of which slides forward upon the fixed part of the side combings, and the last hinges at its near end upon the after combing to permit to drop downward into the hold E to effect the objects hereinafter named. I is an aperture formed in the bulk head C of sufficient size to admit a persons body to pass throu h it, and which is built out at its sides anal bottom to form a line with the under side of the hatch H when the latch is swung or dropped down over it, as shown in Fig. 2, or "the end may be attained by constructing and fitting the bulkhead itself to form that line. The edges of the aperture and the portion of the under side of the hatch H that covers over it may be packed with leather, rubber or other article to insure the formation of a tight joint between them.

My invention is operated as follows hen the boat is to receive passengers from a wrecked vessel, or in case of a shore boat for wrecking purposes, the. persons required to work and direct it, the hatch G is moved forwardits after end catching upon the forward end of the hatch H to hold it in positionthe hatch H is slightly raised to allow the hinged sides of the combing to be moved outwardly, and is then allowed to drop to the position shown in Fig. 2, covering and closing the aperture to the main hold D so as to prevent the water that or swell of the sea, from entering the main hold. After as many persons have been received into the hold E as it will contain, the hatch H is raised to place upon the hinged sides of the combingthey being placed in position to receive it-the hatch G is moved aft to place to secure the hatch H, the passengers or persons, in the hold E then pass through the aperture I to the main hold D, and the operation is thus repeated until as many persons are received into both holds as the boat can carry with safety. Vhen the boat is propelled shoreward or toward a harbor or shelter, by any means prepared for the purpose, and also steered and directed, by the persons occupying the holds. The main hold is kept perfectly dry as no water can enter into it, and the water which may be thrown into the hold E during the time that the hatch is dropped can be pumped out by a force pump, if it is in such quantity as to make it a hindrance to the navigation of the boat, or the comfort of the persons occupying the hold. The requisite supply of air for the inmates of the holds can be procured by a self-acting valve placed in the deck of the boat, which will close when a wave is washed over it, but which will remain open at all other times to allow fresh air to enter, and the vitiated air to escape from the holds.

It is obvious that by this arrangement the main hold of the boat is preserved permay be thrown into the hold E, by the waves fectly dry, and that the hold E is rendered practically so and that the boat cannot be swamped or sunk by the Waves of a heavy running sea breaking over or upon it, insuring a degree of comfort and safety unattainable by any description of life boat 110W in use. Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. Dividing the hold of a life boat into sections by the bulkhead C, and having an aperture I in the bulkhead to be covered and closed by the swing hatch H in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. Making the section H of the hatch to operate as a cover orvalve to close the aperture I in the bulkhead C, as, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the movable combings with the hatch H and the aperture I in the bulkhead C as described and for the purposes set forth.

MORTIMER M. CAMP.

WVitnesses:

N. A.- COWDREY, D. O. CAMP, WM. J. KEMPTON. 

